The present invention relates to a device for attaching a flash unit to a camera of the type which has a taking lens that can be oriented relative to the camera body.
In still photography, there are various cameras of the type having means holding a lens in a position relative to the camera body. Good examples of this type are cameras whose lens holding means and camera body are telescopically connected, for example by a barrel, so that they can be moved axially relative to each other for changing the focal length of the taking lens, and camera whose lens holding means and camera body are flexibly connected, for example by a bellows, so that they can be moved independently of one another. This latter type of camera, which is often used in studios for commercial photography, permits various movements of the lens relative to the camera body: a forward and rearward movement to adjust focus, a vertical movement called a rise or a fall, a lateral movement called a shift, a pivotal movement called swing when about a vertical axis and tilt when about a horizontal axis. These lens movements make it possible to take photographs of objects either straight on, or from any desired angle.
The conventional cameras of the above-described type are adapted to receive a detachable electronic or strobe-type flash unit on the camera body by means of a hot shoe when making film exposures where artificial supplemental illumination is needed. While these flash units work well, the camera has the problem that, although the lens holding means can be changed in orientation, it is impossible to direct illumination provided by the flash unit attached to the camera body in exactly the same direction as that in which the lens holding means is facing. This non-alignment causes a directional discrepancy between the optical axis of the taking lens and the illumination axis of the flash unit and, additionally, part of the illumination provided by the flash unit is often shielded by the lens holding means, depending on its orientation.
In order to prevent this directional discrepancy and shielding problem, it has been necessary to make either the flash unit itself or its flash output head independently orientable so as to direct full illumination to a principal subject at which the taking lens is aimed, and this without any shielding of the illumination. However, this makes the flash unit complicated, bulky and costly.